Exhausting and gas-filling machine



Dec. 24, 1935. J. F. DONOVAN ET AL 2,025,579

EXHAUSTING AND GAS FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Inventors John F.Donovan, George lllingwo'rth,

Th Ir Attorney.

Dec. 24, 1935. J, F, DONOVAN r AL 2,025,579

EXHAUSTING AND GAS FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12', 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Inventors: John F. Donovan, George lllingworth,

Patented Dec. 24, 1935 PATENT OFFICE axnausrmc AND GAS-FILLING MACHINEJohn F. Donovan and George Illingwortl1, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignorsto'General Electric Company, a. corporation of NewYorkApplicationoctober 12, 1934, Serial No. 748,070

4 Claims.

Our invention relates to machines for exhausting and gas-filling devicessuch as electric lamps which comprise a bulb or other receptacle.Heretofore such a machine, which comprises a rotary turret carrying aseries of heads at its periphery,

each adapted to receive one of the aforesaid devices, has been providedwith a single rotary valve for controlling the distribution of thefilling gases to the devices and the conduction of the exhausted gasesaway therefrom. As contrasted with such an arrangement, the machine ofour invention is provided not only with a main distributing valve, whichmay be rotary as before, but also with separate valves for each head.More specifically we provide a plurality of valves for each head,certain of which accommodate the exhaust and others the gas filling ofthe device carried thereby. One advantage of our construction is that weavoid the necessity of changing the gaseous content of long passagesduring the cycle of exhaust, gas-filling etc., to which each device issubjected. Various other features and advantages of our invention willappear from the description which follows of a species thereof and fromthe accompanying drawings, the scope of our invention being indicated inthe appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is'a diagrammatic perspective view of a turret,an exhaust head there- 0 on and a rotary valve therefor of the exhaustmachine of our invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in sectionof the exhaust head of our machine; Fig. 3 is a side view of the body ofthe exhaust head; Fig. 4 is a perspective view a partially in phantom ofa portion of the valve control mechanism for the exhaust head; Fig. 5 isa schematic view of our machine; and Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are plan viewsof the sections of the rotary valve, specifically the upper face of themiddle rotary valve section, the lower face of the top section, thelower face of the middle section, and the top face of the bottomsection.

In the drawings, and particularly in Fig. 1, is shown diagrammaticallythe turret ill of an exhaust machine of our invention which hasapertures H about the periphery thereof adapted to hold an exhaust headI2. In this instance but one exhaust head is shown which is providedwith a single port, as shown in Fig. 2, into which a lamp or otherdevice is inserted for proper connection to the machine. The lamp I3 isconnected to'the exhaust head through the exhaust tube H which isinserted into the aperture in the ferrule l5 and washer l6. Afterinsertion of the exhaust tube, washer l6, W JPD i preferably rubber, iscompressed by the ferrule causing it to expand sideward, making agas-tight Joint between the exhaust tube and the body ll of the head.The compression is brought about by rotation of the sleeve l8 which isscrewed on the 5 threads of the body I! and engages the ferrule throughball bearing l9. Rotation of the sleeve is produced by mechanism (notshown) engaging pin on the collar 2| which is attached to the sleeve.

A vertical passage 22 in the head connects to the open end of theexhaust tube and is connected through valves 23, 24, and 25 to theargon, nitrogen and exhaust lines. The argon enters the body of the headthrough pipe 26 and passes into 15 passage 21 which terminates in theface of said body adjacent the terminus of passage 28. Passage 28 leadsto passage 22 and, like passage 21, is closed off by the diaphragm 29which is clamped to the face of the body byblock 30. The'diaphragm ispreferably of rubber and, as indicated in Fig. 3, is circular in shape.The block 30 is held against the face of the body by screws 3| andengages a small area around-the rim of the diaphragm holding it securelyin place, closing off 25 the center portion of the diaphragm. Thediaphragm is attached to an end of rod 32 which lies in the bushing 33in block 30 and pushes said diaphragm against the body so that thepassages 21 and 28 are securely blocked up. Spring 34, 30 locatedbetween the block and a washer 35 on said rod, keeps the rod in thisposition. When the flow of gas from passage 21 to 28 is desired, thecenter of the diaphragm is pulled back so said gas can pass from passage21 to the chamber formed below the diaphragm and hence to passage 28.The opening movement of the rod is produced by turning of lever 36 andblock .31 which are located, as shown in Fig. 4, on shaft 38. Lever asworks in a slot in block so and rod 32 against pin 39 in said rod and isengaged by pin 40 of block 31. At intervals at which the valve is open,block 31 is engaged by the end of a bolt in the stationary track 4|about the turret III. In the instance shown in Fig.1, the lower valve 25is open since the bolt 42 in track H is located against the end of theblock 31 controlling said valve. The turret in this particular instanceis indexed intermittently and the bolts in track 4| are generallylocated at the rest positions as the rest period of the turret issufiicient for therequired fluid exchange through the valve. 7

Means are provided for keeping the valves of any head closed for thecomplete rotation of the tu ret as would be required to keep the linesclean 88 by a spring clip (not shown) in slot 44 of the block whichengages a portion of the shaft of reduced section. The leaf spring 45,which is e 8| to cam 82 which is adapted to engage roller fastened totheblock 30, frictionally engages block 48 causing it to remain inwhatever position it is placed.

The nitrogen passes into the body of the head through pipe 48 andpassage 41, whereas the vacuum line is connected thereto through pipe 48and passage 48. The neon, nitrogen and exhaust lines are coupled to themachine heads through the three-section rotary valve 50, the middlesection 5| of which moves with the turret and the upper and lowersections 52 and 58 of which are stationary. In this instance pipe 48 isconnected through hose 54 to pipe 55 having the oil trap 58 locatedtherein, and pipe 55 in turn connects through another section of hoseand pipe to one of the apertures 51 in the top surface of the middlerotary valve section 5| shown in Fig. 6. Each of the turret heads isrepresented by a similar pipe line connected to separate apertures inthe rotary valve. Pipes 26 and 45 of the turret head are connectedthrough hose to pipes 58 and 59 respectively which are connected to likepipes extending from an adjacent turret head and to apertures 88 and 8|respectively in the lower surface of the middle section 5| of the rotaryvalve. This structure provides a single pipe for a pair of turret headsfor both the nitrogen and neon.

The machine has a definite order of operation which starts as the lampis inserted in the turret head adjacent position a: of the rotary valve.In this position the specific aperture 51 connected to the head liesunder a solid part of the upper section 52 of the rotary valve andapertures 85 and II lie over solid portions of the lower section 58 ofthe valve. As the head is indexed to the next position, aperture 51passes into and out of alignment with aperture 82 in the valve section52, and a bolt in the track 4| causes valve 25 of the turret head to beopened during the period the apertures are aligned. As indicated diarammatically in Fig. 5, the aperture 82 is connected through pipe 88,restriction 84 and chamber 85 to the exhaust pump 58. Should the lamp beproperly connected and not defective, no further action will result, butif the port is open, or the lamp leaks badly, the atmospheric pressureof the air in pipe 88 on the lamp side of the restriction 54 will causethe leak detector 81 to operate. The leak detector consists of a tubehaving a chamber at one end which is closed oil by mercnry and intowhich two wires extend. Near atmospherlc pressure in pipe 88 causes themercury The next index of the turret carries the aperture 51 in and outof alignment with aperture 15 which is connected through pipe 18 andrestricton 11 to exhaust pump 88. A bolt in track 4| 5 causes turrethead valve 25 to be open while the 5 apertures are aligned. Another leakdetector 18 is attached to this pipe line which is connected so as' tocomplete the electrical circuit'between battery 58 and solenoid 18. Thesolenoid moves the armature 88 which is connected through link 14 on theexhaust head disengaging the valve operating mechanism as in theprevious instance.

The nextindex, the third, opens and closes valve 25 and passes aperture51 over aperture 88 which 15 is connected through pipe 84 directly topump 66. On completion of this index the aperture 51 lies below a solidportion of the top section 52 of the rotary valvev and the lamp has beenexhausted by the preliminary pump 88.

The fourth index carries aperture 51 across the aperture 85 in uppersection 52 of the rotary valve while valve is held open. The next indexcarries aperture 51 into alignment with aperture. 88 in the uppersection 52 of the rotary valve and 25 aperture 88 into alignment withgroove 51 in the lower section 53 of the rotary valve. The latter indexalso opens valve 25 through engagement with a bolt in track 4| while theremaining turret head valves remain closed. Apertures 85 and 39 88 areconnected through pipe 88 to exhaust pump 88 so the lamp isfurther-exhausted. Groove 81 is connected through pipe 80 to a supply ofnitrogen at pressure and by taking the described position only resultsin placing the line to valve 28 at said pressure. The next index, thesixth, allows valve 25 to be closed, valve 28 to be opened and carriesaperture 51 under a solid portion of the upper valve section 52. Thevalve 28 is opened by a bolt in track 4| and allows nitrogen to passinto 4 the lamp. The following indexes cause the lamp to be exhaustedand flushed out with nitrogen repeatedly in a like manner until theturret head takes a position opposite Y of the rotary valve. Theseactions are brought about by manipulation of valves 25, and 28 by boltsin track 4| and by passage of aperture 51 over duplications of aperture88 which are connected to the final exhaust pump 88. The groove 81 inthe lower valve sec-' tion assures connection of nitrogen to the head wat all positions taken thereby during these operations. a

5 At position Y no operations take place since all apertures in themiddle valve section 5| are located over solid portions of the upper andlower 55 sections 52 and 58 respectively of said valve. On the threefollowing indexes the aperture 8| in the middle valve section over theapertures 8|, 8|, and 8|" which are connected through pipe 9: to asupply of neon. While the apertures are aligned, valve 24 is held openby bolts in track 4|. Since one nitrogen and neon line leads to a pairof heads. the location of these operations vary with each exhaust headof the turret. Aperture 51 at alternate positions, after leavingposition Y, passes under apertures 58 in. the upper valve section butproduces no result since valve 25 is not opened. These apertures areplaced therein to balance the valve and to I permit other exhaustingcycles to be set up. After passing the neon filling locations, the lampis removed. A stationary cam (not shown) is placed ahead of position xwhich engages roller 14 on the turret head and lifts the valve operatingmechanism into operative position if it is not so located.

While reference has been made in this description to neon and nitrogen,it will be obvious that these are only examples and that argon and othergases may be used as ,well, as our machine is adapted for the use of anydesired gas filling or degree of'exhaust.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A machine for filling with gas a hollow device which comprises aturret; a head on said turret provided with an exhaust port; meanscomprised by said head for making a gas-tight connection with a portionof said hollow device inserted in its exhaust port; a rotary valvemounted on the axis of the turret having one section adapted to rotatewith said turret and a stationary section which is connected to sourcesof vacuum and of two gases, said sections being apertured for thedistribution of the vacuum and the gases; a plurality of valves mountedadjacent said exhaust port and connected to said port and to theapertures in the movable section of said rotary valve; and means locatedabout the periphery of the turret for actuating said plurality of valvesin connection with the rotation of the turret and rotary valve to causethe hollow device to be exhausted from. one source, alternately gasfilled and exhausted repeatedly from other sources and finally gasfilled from a third source.

2. A machine for gas filling a hollow device which comprises a turret; aplurality of heads, each provided with an exhaust port, mounted on saidturret at the periphery thereof; means comprised by each of said headsfor making a gastight connection with a portion of one of said devicesinserted in its exhaust port; a rotary valve comprising threedisc-shaped sections mounted one above the other on the axis of theturret with faces of the top and bottom sections in engagement withcorresponding faces of the middle section and making a gas-tight sealtherebetween, the middle section being adapted to rotate with the turretand provided with a plurality of apertures constituting a plurality ofconcentric series in the faces thereof, and the top and bottom sectionsbeing stationary and provided with a plurality of series of apertures inthe faces thereof in engagement with the middle section which registerwith the apertures in the latter and which are connected to sources ofgas and vacuum; a plurality of valves mounted adjacent 5 each of theexhaust ports and connected thereto; piping for connecting said valvesto the apertures in the movable section of the rotary valve; and meanslocated about the periphery of the turret and engaged by the said valvesfor causing their operation in proper time relation to the rotation ofthe middle section of the rotary valve so that the hollow device isfirst exhausted, then alternately gas filled and exhausted repeatedlyand finally gas filled.

3. A machine for exhausting a hollow device which comprises a turret, ahead on said turret providing an exhaust port, means associated withsaid head for making a gas-tight connection to a portion of the hollowdevice, inserted in said exhaust port, a rotary valve mounted on theaxis of the turret having one section adapted to rotate with said turretwhich is connected to sources of vacuum and gas and which is aperturedfor their distribution, a pair of valves mounted adjacent said exhaustport and connected to said port and to the movable section of saidrotary valve, means for operating said pair of valves, means fordetecting leakage of said port and the device therein and means operatedby said detection means for disconnecting the valve operating means.

4. An exhaust head for an exhaust machine comprising a body having apair of passages therein terminating at one face thereof, means forconnecting one of said passages to a device to be exhausted, a valvemounted thereon consisting of a diaphragm mounted over the termini ofsaid passages, a block attached to the body clamping the rim of saiddiaphragm to the face thereof, means for forcing the diaphragm againstthe face of the body to close off said passages and means for liftingthe center portion of the diaphragm to provide a passage between thetermini of said passages to permit passage of gas to and from the deviceto be exhausted.

JOHN F. DONOVAN. GEORGE IILINGWORTH.

